higgins



H. B. HIGGINS, JR.

ATTACHMENT I-OR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13. 1918.

1,876,276 Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

HENRY l3. I-IIGGIN E1, 51%.,

OF DENVER, COLORALDO.

ATTACHMENT FOB INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

newness.

Application filed April 13, 1918.

To all Whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, l-lnnnr B. Hrcsrns, J12, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Denver. in the county of Denver and Stateof Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAttachments for Internal-Combustion Engin s, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to attachments for internal combustion engines, andparticularly to that type providing means for injecting" fuel directlyinto the combustion chamber, at the instants of ignition.

It is a well known fact that highly compressed air is the most effectiveagent yet discovered for thoroughly pulverizing and aerating liquidfuel, thus insuring its reliable ignition and its rapid and completecombustion. However the devices heretofore employed in obtaining thecompressed air, in desired proportions and degree of compression, havebeen complex, both in structure and operation, therefore limiting theiruse to comparatively large and expensive engines. One of the obiects ofmy invention is to overcome these objections, and to produce a devicewhich is simple and inexpensive in construction and operation. Thissimplicity also enables the device to operate at higher speeds than theappliances at present in use, and it is adaptable to any style ofengine, operating upon any cycle, and using any form of ignition. Mydevice may be arranged to operate automatically, when the decree ofcompression in the working cylinder rises to a desired point, asdisclosed in my (to-pending; application, Serial No. 228,32 filed April13, 1918, or it may be mechanically actuated at the proper point in theengine cycle, and the instants of its operation, with respect to theworking piston of the engine, may in either case be advanced or retardedto compensate for varying speeds.

Another important object or advantage which it possesses over others isthat it supplies air at constant pressure and in uniform quantities,regardless of any variations in the speed of operation, thus eliminatingundue wastage of air at low speeds. and insuring thorough pulverizationat all speeds.

To accomplish these objects and advantages, ll prefer to use asupplemental cylinfipecification of Letters Patent.

latcntecl Apr. Serial No. 228,322.

der communicating with the main working cyhnder of the engine and with afuel atomlzer of any desired yge leading into the combustion chamberadjacent the spark plug or other igniting device, if any be used. Thissupplemental cylinder is provided with a plunger which is adapted foractuation by the compressed air in the working cylinder, which plungerope ates to additionally compress a portion of air taken from theworking cylinder, and to eject the same through the atomizer at theproper time.

The drawing which forms a part of this specification is a sectionalelevation of the upper portion of the working cylinder of an lntcrnalcombustion engine equipped with my device. d

For the sake of simplicity the engine shown in the drawing is of atwo-stroke type, although the device will operate equally as well on anyother type. Mv in vcntlon may be readily understood by ence to theaccompanying drawings in which I have diagrammatically represented theinvention in the complete form which 1 deem best. I Referringspecifically to the drawing, 1 indicates the working cylinder ofinternal combustion engine, and the working piston therefor. Mounted,preferably above the cylinder 1, and in communication therewith throughthe port 8, is a supplemental cylinder l. A differential or step-pistonor plunger 5 is mounted for reciprocation in the cylinder 4:, saidplunger being provided with an enlarged head 6, and a lower reducedportion 7, tapering to engage the inclined seat 8, formed on the casting9 which houses the cylinder l. The upper portion of the cylinder l isextended beyond the housing 9, and is normally closed by a gland 10through which extends a rod 11 connected to the plunger 5 andterminating in an enlarged head 12. The gland 10 is apertured at 13,which aperture communicates with a by-pass 14 around the piston, andleading to the lower face of the head 6, thereby maintaining atmosphericpressure in the cylinder above the plunger, and below that portion ofthe head 6 not exposed to cylinder pressure when the portion 7 isseated.

Mounted upon any convenient part of the engine is a standard 15,carrying a rocker arm 16 having a head 17 extending below and adaptedfor contact with the h ad 12 on the rod 11. The arm 16 is pivoted uponsaid standard 15 and is provided upon the side remote from the head 1'7with a rriction disk roller 18.

Also mounted on the standard 15, and geared to any con 'enient rotatingpart oi the motor, as for instance the magneto or valve operating shaft,is a worm which meshes with another worm 20, carried by a shaftSnrroijinding the wo m 20 is a cam 22, adapted to contact the i nitionroller 18 on the arm 16.

Au atomizing element is located above the cylinder 1 and is incommunication therewith throu h the downwardly flaring opening ridclement is also in communication with the cylinder a through the conduit25 which leads into the said cylinder 4, and also into the cylinder 1,by means of a branch 26. A ball valve 27 is seated in an enlargedopening in said branch 26 and may be retained in its normal position bya spring 28. The atomizer element 23 also communicates with a source offuel supply 29 by means of a conduit 30 containing a spring ball valve31 or equiva lent device.

From the foregoing it will be evid that the rise of the piston willcause a pressure to be exerted upon the lower portion 7, of the head (3,upon plunger 5. The pressure caused by the rising piston is lilo-r wisecommunicated to the upper face of the head 6 through the branch 26 andthe conduit litting the ball valve 27 against the retaining s n' ing.The plunger 5 is so proportioned that the area of the top of the head 6is slightly greater than that ol? the lower portion 7 thereof, inconsequence of which the excess pressure on the top of this head tendsto hold tightly upon the seat 8. The worms l9 and 2 are so geared, andhe cam 22, the arm l6. the head l2 r id inc roller so proportioned andpositioned that. "the piston Q use the inner end 0'? its stroke, orabout the time of greats compression, the head 11" contacts the head '12and lifts the portion T oil is seat 8. The rise of the plunger 5 closesthe upper end oi the DAV-P2185 151-, and also exposes the whole lowerface oi the head (3 to the pressure in the cylinder 1. Since the area ofthe entire lower face of said head 6 is much larger than that of theupper face (the ratio depending upon the degree of pressure desired inthe atomizer element 23) the head 6 is forcibly moved upwardly in thecylinder 4, thereby compressing the air in the cylinder above the head.This pressure closes the valve 27, and the compressed air contained inthe cylinder passes through the conduit 25 to the atomizer 23 therebypulvcrizing the fuel from conduit 30, thoroughly mixing therewith, theheat of comfuel, a; d the ir rzture he working" cylinder 1 i '24i, whereit com l combuspression ignit 1s inJec-L c2 prcusure in c; e, thesuction a tace of head 6 operates to its seat, or spri s n :y he

d desirable.

. i have herein 4 1 o my invention, no means whereb this embodiment mayput into practical oper n. It is vioiis, however, that other iitionn'ieans, such as sparlr pl' might be employed; other mechanisms in it beutilized for the f on upon the purpose oi. giving initial li t to theplunger 5, and a 1 :cut atonn el ment might he substituted withoutdeparting fron'i the broad scope Oi the invention. It is to be notedthat my invention contcn1- plates th introduction to the atomizer of auniform duantit o't highl compressed air, and that this supply isunvaried, constant, and absolutely ihdependent of any variation in 10speed or? the motor, thereby eliminati g}; any undi'ie wastage of highpressure at low speeds, and insuring a thoroug-i pulverizntion. Iprovide means whereby a charge of air may be taken from the worltilcylinder and suddenly placed inder ad ional compression, by meansactuated by the continued ascent oi the working pis' 'on, and whereby tr charge of compressed in y then be conducted the i atoinizii element01* pulverization mixture wit tact and i 7 ion, and thence to theworking cylinder, as above set forth.

The scope ol this inret on is not limited to the iiiOdllRHiF-HHS her indescribed, as it is ObViOl'ZS that many eha es in construction may be ccoy the principles involved, Other e bomrnents may be suggested to thoses ed to which the invention pertains. hut desire to secure by Letterssaid engine, to additionally compress said charge, and eject it forutilization in said ain chamber, substantially as described.

2. device of the character described, comprising in combination with acy inder of an inernal combustion engine containing a pie and acompressible fluid, a chamber in conniunication with said cylinder andadapted to receive a charge of said fluid therefrom in a compressedstate, pneumatirated means in said chamber cona diderential pistonactuated by ssi on in the cylinder upon receiv ing an i. ,tal movementfrom a moving part of said engine, for additionally compressing said elmrge, mixing it with combustible matter and tgjecting said mixture to thepoint of substantially as described.

device of the character described, ing in combination with a working andpiston of an internal combus- 'ne, a chamber in communication ncylinder, said chamber containing 'procable plunger, port leading fromsaid cylinder and opening into said chamber sisting the conu beyond aidplunger, an atomizing element, a conduit leading from said chamber andthrong, aid element into said cylinder and means supplying fuel to saidelement whereby the compression in said cylinder causes a charge of airto enter said chamber through said inlet port, then causes said plungerto opera e to additionally compress said charge of air, eject it throughsaid conduit and s id atomizing element for the purpose of irming amixture with the fuel introduc therein for use in said cylinder, upon splunger receiving an initial movement i n a moving part of said engine,substai ally described.

A evice of the character described i in combination with the worln g andpiston of an internal combustion igine, a chamber in. communication withsai cylinder, and a reciprocable plunger in d chamber adapted to beactuated by con ession in the cylinder upon receivan initial movement bythe m chanical operation of moving element of the engine, substantiallyas described.

5. A device of the character described compri Ag, in combination withthe work ing cylinder and piston of an internal combustion engine, anatomizing element and a fuel conduit, a chamber having an openingleading into said cylinder, a plunger reciprocable in said chamber andprovided with an outer face adapted to close said opening, a bypassextending from said cylinder and into said chamber beyond the innor faceof the plunger, and communicating with said element and source of fuel,whereby the compression in the cylinder may cause a charge of compressedair to pass from the cylinder to the chamber, be additionally compressedand discharged through said element and adjacent said fuel and into thecylinder, substantially as described.

6. An attachment for internal combustion engines comprising, incombination with the cylinder and piston, an atomizing element and afuel conduit leading thereinto, a chamber having a port leading intosaid cylinder and a by-pass opening into said cylinder and into saidchamber at a point remote from the cylinder, a piston reciprocable insaid chamber between said port and said by-pass entrance, and a conduitleading from said chamber through said element and past the mouth ofsaid fuel conduit, whereby the compression in the cylinder may cause acharge of air to enter the chamber through said by-pass, andsubsequently cause a reciprocation of the plunger in said chamber toadditionally compress the charge and to thereafter eject it through saidelement and past the mouth of said fuel conduit, and into said cylinder,substantially as described.

7. An attachment for internal combustion engines provided with a workingcylinder and piston, comprising a chamber provided with a plunger havinga head adapted to seat upon the end thereof adjacent the cylinder, portsleading from said cylinder to the top and bottom faces of said head,whereby said faces are subjected to the compression in the workingcylinder, the exposed area of the top face being greater than that ofthe bottom face when the head is seated, and less than that of thebottom face when the head is unseated, and means actuated by the enginefor initially unseating said head.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HENRY B. HIGGINS, JR. Witnesses CHARLES L. WALLAR, NELLIE J. SoULLY.

